Helpline
by whovianpower
Summary: Remember how Clara said she got the TARDIS number from the woman in the shop? Well we never found out who the woman was. But I think I know. One shot, takes place before the Bells of Saint John.


So I was watching 'The Bells of Saint John', and I got the idea for this story. I'm sorry if it seems a bit rushed, because I wrote it in one go and its late at night. Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who or any of its characters.

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"I'll be back in, like, ten minutes," Clara murmured into the mobile which had Angie on the other end. "Just don't let Artie out of the house."

"Whatever," came the bored drawl.

"I just need to do a check out," Clara said, reaching for a bag of apples from the case before heading off to the checkout counter. "Give me ten."

She flicked the phone shut and placed the apples on the counter. A man beeped it, and put it into a bag. Clara paid and walked out the door.

In her pocket, her mobile vibrated. Grasping the apples in one hand, Clara slipped the phone out of her pocket, and attempted to open it without her other hand.

"Crap!" she cursed as the phone slipped from her grasp and clattered onto the sidewalk. Groaning, she picked it up, and growled when she saw the cracked case. She couldn't use her phone like this!

She glanced at the shop which she stood in front of, which conveniently was the electronics store. Glancing back and forth from the sign to her cracked cell phone case, she decided to quickly get it replaced.

The bell rang as she pushed the door open. She suddenly was aware how odd she must look, walking into a store with a bag of apples in one hand. She ignored the few pairs of eyes that rest on her and walked up to the counter. The man looked at her.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"Yeah," Clara said, placing her phone on the glass counter. "Could you replace the case please?"

The man sighed in a bored fashion before reaching to the side and plucking a cardboard box containing a silver phone case. He placed it in front of her.

"Will this do?" he asked, his voice practically bleeding a bored tone. Clara gave him a quick nod before placing some money on the table. He fitted the case onto the phone for her and handed it back to her.

"Thanks," Clara said, putting the mobile in her pocket.

"Will there be anything else?"

Clara thought for a moment.

"My internet is annoying," she said simply. "Can't get it to work right."

The man shrugged. "Can't do anything about it, sweetheart."

Clara shrugged. "Thanks anyway."

She turned around and collided with another person. They both tumbled to the ground. "Urgh!" moaned the woman.

"I am so sorry!" Clara helped her to her feet. The woman, who was about the same age as Clara, brushed her blond hair behind her ears. "I didn't mean to knock you over."

"It's alright," she murmured. "I was just... passing through. I'm looking for someone, sorry."

"I need to go," Clara said, embarrassed. "I've got kids waiting back home." The woman looked at her funny.

"You leave your little ones home alone?"

"No," Clara replied, adjusting the position of her shopping bag on her shoulder. "I'm a nanny. They're old enough to be alone for a little while." The woman raised an eyebrow.

"Right."

Clara threw her a strange look, and headed to the door, stopping when the woman put an arm on her shoulder.

"You need help? With the internet?" Clara gave a small nod, and the woman dug for a pen and paper in her pockets. She wrote a number on it and gave it to Clara.

"This is the best helpline you can ever have. Best helpline in the universe," she paused. "Just tell him I miss him. And that I'll find him one day." She choked back a sob, and added another message to tell him, one that would touch the heart of most. And with that, the woman walked out of the shop. Clara followed her, narrowing her eyes when the young woman walked into an ally way.

There was a flash of light, and Clara bolted to the mouth of the alleyway. Her lips parted in confusion as the only thing she saw was an empty alleyway. The woman was gone.

Clara looked at the number she saw on the paper.

07700 900461

Her eyes narrowed, and she stuffed the number in her pocket. Throwing one last look down the alleyway, Clara walked to the bus station and headed back to the Maitland's.

But when the time came, and she used the helpline, she forgot to relay the message of the mystery woman. She never remembered to do it.

And when she was scattered amongst the time stream, she learned her name. She could have told him when she was saved, but she didn't think she needed to.

She figured he already knew.


End file.
